Totowa to replace 60s-era generator for police station, municipal building

By Matthew Kadosh

Staff Writer |

Passaic Valley Today

TOTOWA - During Hurricane Sandy the municipal building was without lights and heat for several days with police dispatch operating off of a propane-powered generator from the 60s that starts up with a pull-cord, officials said.

The town hopes not to repeat the experience next time a power outage rolls Totowa's way.

That's why the borough council on Tuesday night authorized professional engineering services pertaining to the installation of a generator at the municipal building.

Mayor John Coiro said the borough budgeted $85,000 for the purpose of generator in last year's budget and will be using those funds for the project this year.

"It's a necessity based on our older generator that we have," he said. "So if we have another Sandy-like storm or Hurricane Irene we need to be prepared."

The new generator will be a standby generator that automatically powers on the entire building in the event of an outage and does not require a pull-cord to start up, Coiro said. "It's not like a lawnmower or snow blower," he said.

Office of Emergency Management coordinator Allen Del Vecchio explained the problems with the current generator that Totowa officials are using at the municipal building.

"It's very limited to what it can do," he said. "It actually only runs the police desk."

He said the old generator, which is from the 60s, didn't actually power on the lights or any of the other electrical amenities in the municipal building during Sandy.

The new generator will also not require people to start it up. "It's all automatic. It's idiot proof," Del Vecchio said.

Totowa to replace 60s-era generator for police station, municipal building

By Matthew Kadosh

Staff Writer |

Passaic Valley Today

TOTOWA - During Hurricane Sandy the municipal building was without lights and heat for several days with police dispatch operating off of a propane-powered generator from the 60s that starts up with a pull-cord, officials said.

The town hopes not to repeat the experience next time a power outage rolls Totowa's way.

That's why the borough council on Tuesday night authorized professional engineering services pertaining to the installation of a generator at the municipal building.

Mayor John Coiro said the borough budgeted $85,000 for the purpose of generator in last year's budget and will be using those funds for the project this year.

"It's a necessity based on our older generator that we have," he said. "So if we have another Sandy-like storm or Hurricane Irene we need to be prepared."

The new generator will be a standby generator that automatically powers on the entire building in the event of an outage and does not require a pull-cord to start up, Coiro said. "It's not like a lawnmower or snow blower," he said.

Office of Emergency Management coordinator Allen Del Vecchio explained the problems with the current generator that Totowa officials are using at the municipal building.

"It's very limited to what it can do," he said. "It actually only runs the police desk."

He said the old generator, which is from the 60s, didn't actually power on the lights or any of the other electrical amenities in the municipal building during Sandy.

The new generator will also not require people to start it up. "It's all automatic. It's idiot proof," Del Vecchio said.